Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Gooseberry Island

This blog is a short break from my writings on my trip to Canada. On Tuesday morning, whenever we can, Doug and I go out birding and I do photography also. We traveled out to Gooseberry Island, which is part of the Horseneck Beach State Reservation, hopefully to see the Short-eared Owl that has been located there.

Doug walk in the fields looking for short-eared owl

In the old days, the way you reached Gooseberry was to cross over a sandbar at low tide. Between 1913 to 1924, the first Causeway to Gooseberry I sland was finished. It became a thriving summer colony. During World War II, Army and Navy installations were built on the island to act as fire control towers for coastal guns. In 1954 Hurricane Carol did extensive damage on the island. And in 1956, the state took over Gooseberry as part of the Horseneck Beach Reservation.

It is a great birding area and the resting point for migrants both in spring and fall.

We arrived before sunrise, watch the incredible sunrise, met Dan Logan, who showed us where they had found the short-eared owl. However, no luck with the owl. We did find Cooper's Hawk and Kestrels, and a number of other species.

Common Loon in Flight

Atlantic Brandt in Flight

White-throated Sparrow

American Tree Sparrow

Some of the Rosa Rogusa were still in bloom despite the recent cold weather. Actually, it felt colder than I had felt in Canada because of a brisk northerly wind. However, I was prepared and had dressed appropriately for the weather.